The Dollie Cottage: Meet Karen's Dolls!

My story of how I got into collecting starts back when I was eleven years old and I first saw the very first Pleasant Company catalog. I poured over those pages trying to figure out which one of those beautiful dolls I would most like to have. My mom looked over the catalog with me and announced that while they were beautiful dolls with fabulous collections, I was getting too old to spend that much money on a doll for me. I kind of agreed with her, but said that when I was older and had a daughter I was going to get one of those dolls too. Fast forward almost 25 years to the Christmas after my oldest daughter turned five. She was getting her first 18 inch AG doll for Christmas with a few outfits and accessories. I still wanted an AG doll for myself, but I did not order one. Little did I know that my mom had called my husband with an idea for my Christmas gift that year. So on Christmas morning after all the presents were opened, my husband pulled one last present from behind the tree. I knew from the shape of the box it had to be a doll, but I just couldn't believe it. I opened the present and there was my Ruthie! I sat on the floor hugging Ruthie to my chest with tears streaming down my face. I was so happy to FINALLY have the AG doll I always wanted!

So, now a few years later, my desire to have just one AG doll has grown into a full-fledged doll family of eleven. I have to say that I love seeing them every day and love that I can share this hobby with both of my daughters, Rebecca and Sarah, and of course my mom and my grandmother. (Yes, my 95 year-old grandmother has about 10 AG dolls, although I have lost count with her dolls!)

Here is the most recent photo of my doll family taken this past December: